the iron horse
Rock n' Roll Doggie
"A Taste of Armageddon" s an episode from the original "Star Trek" series.
I have always view the story as somewhat of an allegory to our times.
The story is set in the 23rd century. The Enterprise has been sent on a mission to establish diplomatic ties to a planet called Eminiar 7. Kirk and Spock soon learn that its inhabitants have been at war with a neighboring planet for 500 years.
The Enterprise landing crew are puzzled because they do not see any damage or destruction. As the story develops they soon find that the war being fought with computers. During the war stimulation causalities are shown and tabulated victims voluntarily surrender themselves to be killed in disintegration chambers.
Kirk and Spock are amazed at how these people so willingly sacrifice their lives to maintain a sense of order and an appearance of peace.
In the ending, Spock destroys the planet's computers to end it. The leaders of the planet are shocked. They accuse Kirk and Spock of ending something that has helped them to manage war. By sacrificing a few citizens they claim it has made the whole of their society function smoothly.
Kirk counters and charges them with making war to neat and clean. They have attempted to sanitize it. He's attempting to show them the real dread and horror of war.
Real war is a messy and dirty business. If done, it should be quick and over. It is so horrific that we should do all we can to avoid it.
The Western world has been under the threat of terrorist going back 50 years or so. Every year, in many countries, it has incrementally increased in attacks and casualties. It is never out of the news cycle. Calls for peace have been ringing for decades.
Some Western countries have been engage in a "war" for over ten years. The war has been fought by the West using strict rules of engagement and extreme effort to limit civilian casualties.
It is a war that has not sustained any lasting peace. The threat only seems to increasing more.
I don't know that answers to all this.
I just know that as a kid, I could only take so much from a bully and then it was time to punch back harder and end it.
What do you think?
I have always view the story as somewhat of an allegory to our times.
The story is set in the 23rd century. The Enterprise has been sent on a mission to establish diplomatic ties to a planet called Eminiar 7. Kirk and Spock soon learn that its inhabitants have been at war with a neighboring planet for 500 years.
The Enterprise landing crew are puzzled because they do not see any damage or destruction. As the story develops they soon find that the war being fought with computers. During the war stimulation causalities are shown and tabulated victims voluntarily surrender themselves to be killed in disintegration chambers.
Kirk and Spock are amazed at how these people so willingly sacrifice their lives to maintain a sense of order and an appearance of peace.
In the ending, Spock destroys the planet's computers to end it. The leaders of the planet are shocked. They accuse Kirk and Spock of ending something that has helped them to manage war. By sacrificing a few citizens they claim it has made the whole of their society function smoothly.
Kirk counters and charges them with making war to neat and clean. They have attempted to sanitize it. He's attempting to show them the real dread and horror of war.
Real war is a messy and dirty business. If done, it should be quick and over. It is so horrific that we should do all we can to avoid it.
The Western world has been under the threat of terrorist going back 50 years or so. Every year, in many countries, it has incrementally increased in attacks and casualties. It is never out of the news cycle. Calls for peace have been ringing for decades.
Some Western countries have been engage in a "war" for over ten years. The war has been fought by the West using strict rules of engagement and extreme effort to limit civilian casualties.
It is a war that has not sustained any lasting peace. The threat only seems to increasing more.
I don't know that answers to all this.
I just know that as a kid, I could only take so much from a bully and then it was time to punch back harder and end it.
What do you think?